Transporter
The transporter is a device capable of almost instantaneously moving an object from one location to another. Transporters are able to dematerialize, transmit and reassemble an object. The act of transporting is often referred to as "beaming." It was invented by Emory Erickson sometime prior to 2139. (ENT: "Daedalus") History Transporters were used by most spacefaring civilizations for short-range transport of personnel or equipment. The main advantages of this form of transport were twofold: On a planetary scale small vehicles or spacecraft were no longer needed to go from one place to another; someone who lived in San Francisco could beam to Paris in the morning and be home for dinner at the end of the day. Traveling by transporter was almost instantaneous; when beaming from Paris at 16:30 hours one would be home in San Francisco a few seconds later. The sense of time while transporting was almost non-existent. Compare this to 21st century travel when it took roughly 10 to 12 hours to travel from Paris to San Francisco by airplane. Harry Kim transported frequently from Starfleet Academy to visit his parents in South Carolina. (VOY: "Non Sequitur") When Starfleet began its exploration of space, away missions had to be performed via shuttlecraft. This meant that a considerable amount of time was needed to prepare a shuttle for its mission and added extra traveling time to and from the away mission's destination. In case of emergencies, medical or otherwise, this extra travel time could mean the difference between life or death. The advent of the transporter gave Starfleet the ability to respond more quickly to emergencies and made away missions much easier. (ENT: "Strange New World", et al) The first transporters built by Starfleet were not very reliable, and authorized for non-biological transports only. Although biological transport could be performed, it was not done often. When transporters started being used for biological transports the first transporter-related diseases appeared. The best known disease was Transporter psychosis which was diagnosed in 2209. (TNG: "Realm of Fear") Despite the early transporter problems, it became the most reliable form of short-range transport by the 24th century. Federation transporters differ little from other species' transporters. This has to do with the laws of physics. Transporters disassemble and reassemble lifeforms or objects and no species, besides the Q, can change those laws. Although the basic scientific principles are the same, the way transporters are designed and built differ from species to species. 24th century Federation transporters emit a distinct blue "sparkle" when used, while Klingon transporters show a red/orange sparkle and Romulan transporters a green sparkle. Another difference is the speed by which a transporter operates. Compared to transporters used by the Hunters, a Gamma Quadrant species, in 2369, the Federation transporter was slow. (DS9: "Captive Pursuit") By the 29th century, Starfleet used temporal transporter technology to travel through space and time in a very similar manner to standard transporters of earlier centuries. ([ENT: "Shockwave, Part I") First use ]] Following its invention, the ''Enterprise'' NX-01 was one of the first Starfleet starships to be equipped with a transporter authorized for transporting biological objects, though it was rarely utilised. However, its use became common during Enterprise's search of the Delphic Expanse, mainly due to its usefulness in a dangerous sector of space. A typical transport sequence for the beam-down of a person begun with a coordinate lock during which the destination was verified and programmed, via the targeting scanners. Next, the lifeform to be beamed was scanned on the quantum level and simultaneously converted to a matter stream. This process was determined by an annular confinement beam (ACB). The matter stream was briefly stored in the pattern buffer tank while the system compensated for doppler shift to the destination and then transmitted through an emitter pad. Finally, the person was reassembled at the destination. Safety protocols As with other Starfleet operations the transporter had its own safety protocols to ensure a safe usage. In case of emergency most of these protocols could be turned off or cirumvented. As of the 24th century the following transporter safety protocols were in place. * A biofilter was always functional to prevent the boarding of strange biological entities. (VOY: "Macrocosm") * Beaming while traveling at warp speed was not allowed. (TNG: "The Schizoid Man") * Security scans were used to detect weapons or remat detonators. Weapons detected in transport could be disabled before re-materialization. (Star Trek: The Next Generation) Transporter types Almost all Starfleet facilities and starships were equipped with transporter devices. The number of transporter devices differ. Certain types of shuttlecraft had one transporter while Galaxy class starships had at least four. When cargo bays were present these would contain a cargo transporter. Personnel Personnel transporter rooms usually consisted of an operation console, a transporter platform with an overhead molecular imaging scanner, primary energizing coils and phase transition coils. A pattern buffer with a biofilter is located on the deck below the room. The outer hull of a starship incorporated a number of emitter pads for the transporter beam. Personnel transporters work on the quantum level and employed Heisenberg compensators to enable secure transport of lifeforms. Biofilters that were built into the transporter systems prevent dangerous microorganisms from boarding the ship. In 2375, Vedek Fala, gave this crystal to Colonel Kira, as a gift, but actually it was a transporter tag, which instantly transported her to Empok Nor, to join the followers of the Cult of the Pah-wraiths and Dukat, who was acting as their Emissary. (DS9: "Covenant") Cargo Cargo transporters were larger scale versions of Personnel transporters and were optimized for the transport of inanimate objects, in case of an emergency cargo transporters could be reset to quantum level modus, making lifeform transport possible. (TNG: "Up the Long Ladder", et al) Emergency Emergency transporters were a special form of transporter, they could only beam someone from a ship or spacestation, not the otherway around. Another advantage was their low power requirement, in case of a ship wide power failure its crew could be evacuated in case of emergency. (TNG Technical Manual) Limitations Shields In general, Transporters could not be used while the deflector shield system of a ship was active, or a deflector shield was in place over the destination. However, it was possible to take advantage of EM "windows" that were created by the normal rotation of shield frequencies. During these peroids, a hole was opened where a transporter beam could punch through. This timing must be absolute and usually requires substantial computer assistance. This technique was theorized and first practiced in 2367 by [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|USS Enterprise]] Transporter chief Miles O'Brien. (TNG: "The Wounded") There is a type of shielding that does allow transport, although it does have a limitation of not allowing phasers to be fired. (TOS:"Return of the Archons") When the Federation first encountered the Dominion, Dominion transporters were able to beam through Federation shields. (DS9: "The Jem'Hadar") Warp speed Transporters were not allowed to be used while a ship was at warp speed because of the severe spatial distortions caused by its warp field. (TNG: "The Schizoid Man") Transport at warp was highly dangerous and had been attempted safely only a handful of times. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part I", TNG: "The Emissary") There were however ways to circumvent this limitation. * If both ships maintained exact velocity (i.e. the warp field on both vessels must have the same integral value/factor) transport at warp speed was possible. Failure to maintain the same velocities would result in severe loss of the ACB and pattern integrity. * If the ship was traveling at warp speed and the object to be beamed was stationary, transport was possible by synchronizing the ACB with the warp core frequency. The most difficult part was to get a good pattern lock. The Maquis used this method before. (VOY:"Maneuvers") Near-warp transport was also possible, but required extensive adjustments to the transport procedure. Persons who had experienced this form of transport remarked that there was a sensation of being merged with an inanimate object briefly before the transporter beam reassembled them. (TNG: "The Schizoid Man") Range The 24th century transporter maximum range was about 40,000 km., though a special type of transport, called subspace transport could beam over several lightyears. Many 24th century starships were equipped with an emergency transporter system, but these only had a range of at best ten kilometers. (VOY: "Future's End, Part I"). The maximum range of a transporter differs per species, depending on what kind of technologies are used to build it. The transporter with the longest known range is that of the Sikarians, with a range of about 40,000 light-years; however this is due to their planet's large quartz mantle which amplifies their transporter signal. Because of this, Sikarian transporter technology works only on their planet. (VOY: "Prime Factors") Dominion transporter technology, enhanced with a homing transponder, was said to have a range of at least 3 light-years. (DS9: "Covenant") Radiation and Substances Some forms of radiation and substances prevent transporters from working or from transports to occur. Examples of radiation and substance limitations are: *Thoron radiation *Dampening field *Ionic interference Devices There were even devices that were specifically designed to block transporter signals or to interfere with them. Thus making use of a transporter impossible or very dangerous. Some of these devices were: *Transporter scrambler *Remat detonator Special Operations Disabling Active Weapons To prevent accidental injury to personnel or damage to equipment, the transporter had the capability to disable any weapon active during transport. This could be accomplished by removing the discharged energy from the transporter signal. (TNG:"The Most Toys") Connecting two transporters When necessary transporters could be bridged. This meant that two transporters could be connected to each other in the event beaming was not possible due to ionic or some other type of interference. The transport duration was twice as long and the sequence differed from a normal transport. First a remote link to the other transporter had to be established, then the system interlock needed to be engaged and the pattern buffers of both transporters were synchronized. When the phase transition coils were in stand-by mode energizing could commence. A side-effect of this form of transport might be that the person who was beamed might feel a slight tingling due to static. (TNG:"Realm of Fear") "Site-To-Site" Transport The earliest example of site-to-site transport was in 2286, a Klingon vessel stolen by the crew of the late starship Enterprise had site to site transporter capabilities. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home) By 2364, limitations in pattern buffer and targeting scanner technology had been sufficiently overcome that it was now possible to transport from one location directly to another without the need to re-materialize the subject in between. This operation was enabled and controlled by the site-to-site transport interlocks. (TNG: "Brothers") Site to site transport holds the matter stream in the pattern buffer while the ACB was re-targeted. Afterwards, the matter stream was redirected to the new location and normal re-materialzation was carried out. This procedure was particularly useful in emergency medical situations where time is of the essence. Subjects could be beamed directly to sickbay where treatment could be carried out quickly. (Star Trek: First Contact) Using this technique, any computer terminal with access to the main transporter sub-systems or any applicable sub-routine could be used to control transporter operations, including bridge terminals. (Star Trek: Nemesis) This technique could only be utilized when sufficient source energy is available to the transporters, all normal transporter limitations would still apply. Even given this technique, the transporter rooms were still an important staging and reception area with the greatest amount of override and emergency operations available. Transporter rooms were maintained and manned during all normal duty cycles. Transporter Trace A transporter trace was a stored copy of a subject's molecular pattern as scanned during a normal transporter cycle. While it is usually stored for security purposes, in extreme situations the transporter could be modified to use an older trace pattern in place of the latest scan for the purpose of re-configuring the matter stream during molecular conversion, effectively replacing a subject with an younger version of itself during matter re-construction. This technique was devised by Chief Miles O'Brien and Lieutenant Geordi La Forge during a mission to the Darwin Genetic Research Station in 2365. The transporter trace itself would be stored for the duration of the persons tour of duty, when reassigned the trace would be deleted. (TNG:"Unnatural Selection") Transporter accidents Though transporters were a quite safe way to get from one point to another there are still cases of transporter accidents: On stardate 1672.1, in 2266, the strange ore had altered the function of the transporter, causing the most bizarre transporter accident on record in which Captain James T. Kirk was split into two: One embodied all of Kirk's so-called positive qualities and the other part that was evil. Some time prior to the mishap was on the verge of being discovered, the evil Kirk roamed the ship, stealing liquor, assaulting crewmen, and even attempting to rape Yeoman Rand. Although he was cornered, and finally captured in the engine room, his errant phaser shot damaged the transporter further. Finally, Scotty and Spock had isolated and repaired all the damage when a test animal, previously split, was sent through to see if it will reintegrate. Upon reintegrating, it rematerialized dead. Crippled with indecision, Kirk was able, barely, to make the trip, and his two halves were re-integrated once again. (TOS: "The Enemy Within") After failing to persuade the Halkan Council to allow the Federation to mine dilithium in their mines in 2267, the ion storm had caused the transporter accident in which a USS Enterprise landing party, expecting to beam back on to their ship, were beamed aboard the unfamiliar Enterprise in the Mirror Universe. Upon beaming aboard, they had discovered that the peace-loving United Federation of Planets had been replaced with a brutal Terran Empire, and they had their own "mirror" counterparts. (TOS: "Mirror, Mirror") In 2361, on Nervala IV, the USS Potemkin was conducting a evacuation of the science outpost on the planet. Lieutenant Riker was part of the away team at the time. An unusual distortion field caused the Potemkin's transporter to malfunction, materializing a two Rikers, one on the ship, and one on the planet's surface. The Potemkin left orbit, unknowingly abandoning the duplicate Riker for eight years. This was only discovered when the Enterprise-D revisisted the planet, found Lieutenant Riker and brought him back to the ship. (TNG: "Second Chances") In 2371, Benjamin Sisko, Julian Bashir and Jadzia Dax were accidently transported to the year 2024, by an explosion in a microscopic singularity passing through the solar system at the time of the beam-out. Fortunately, Miles O'Brien was able to devise a way to send Kira Nerys and himself to different periods of earth history to try and find where the away team was sent, and then bring them back home. However, whilst in the 21st century, Sisko accidentally caused the death of Gabriel Bell, so present history shows Bell's picture replaced by Sisko's. (DS9: "Past Tense, Part I") In 2372, the patterns of Sisko, Kira, Worf, Dax, and Miles O'Brien were temporarily stored in the computer core of Deep Space 9, to prevent their patterns degrading because of an explosion on their runabout at the time of beam-out. They were integrated into a holoprogram run by Julian Bashir, and each took on one of the holographic roles in the program. Eventually, Michael Eddington was able to restore the crewmembers back to normal. (DS9: "Our Man Bashir") Lysosomal enzymes of an alien orchid were the cause of another accident in the same year. Tuvok and Neelix were temporarily merged into one being during transport with the orchid. Tuvix, as he named himself (or themselves), was a complete mixture of the talents of both crewmembers. After discovering how to separate the two patterns and retrieve both Tuvok and Neelix, Tuvix protested but the procedure was undertaken anyway. (VOY: "Tuvix") Other Transporter Accidents *TOS: ** "The Tholian Web" *''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' *VOY: ** "Drone" *ENT: ** "Strange New World" ** "Vanishing Point" ** "Daedalus" Because of these accidents, some people were suffering from transporter phobia or experience transporter shock. Behind the Scenes The transporter was developed by the production staff of the original series as a solution of how to get crewmen off a planet quickly. The only alternative was to land a massive ship each week, which would have wreaked havoc in the production budget. Related topics Biofilter; Folded-space transporter; Multidimensional transporter device; Site-to-site transport interlock; sub-quantum teleportation; Transporter chief; Translocator External * Star Trek.com: Notable Transporter Mishaps Category:Starship components de:Transporter